Collapsible horse or support



May 7, 194e.

H. C. EVANS COLLAPSIBLE HORSE R SUPPORT Filed Feb. l2, 1945 Patented May 7, 1946 rUlll'fr'li 1j-Sicula 'PTENTQFFICE L 2,399,861 J I I 'coLLAPsinLE nonss on SUPPORT i HerbertCrosdale Evans, Ventura, Calif. Appiication February 12,1945, serial Np. 577,511

(ol. 304-15)V 2 Claims.

This invention relates to a, collapsible horse or support capable of being used for all of the purposes for which the ordinary sawhorse is applied but which is especially useful as a means for hold-- ing removable table tops such as are set up for special purposes, namely, banquets, etc.

An object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which can be completely folded so as to be easily stored, will provide a iirm support for any object placed thereon, and will withstand rough use.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.

In the accompanying drawing the preferred form of the invention has been shown.

In said drawing Figure 1 is a front elevation of the device set up for use.

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view.

Figure 3 is a section on line 3-3, Fig. l.

Figure 4 is an elevation of a portion of the inner side of one of the braces, said view being on an enlarged scale.

Figure 5 is a section on line 5 5, Fig. 4.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a portion of one of the restraining links.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference I designates an inverted longitudinally channeled strip constituting the top or head of the device and formed preferably of metal, it being preferred to form this channeled head with closed ends as indicated at 2.

Legs 3 which can consist of metal tubes, have their upper ends welded or otherwise secured within the end portions of the channeled top portion or head I and these legs are joined adjacent to their lower ends, by an inverted longitudinally channeled connecting bar 4 welded or other wise attached to the legs at its ends.

Formed within the head l at the sides thereof and preferably adjacent to the center are slots 5 and that portion of the head beneath each slot is thickened and stiifened by folding downwardly within the top or head I that portion of the metal which was displaced in the formation of the slot, thereby to produce a strong bearing 8.

Engaged within each slot 5 and partly encircling the bearing thereunder is a hook 'I formed by bending a flat tongue 8 located at the upper end of a brace 9. This brace, which is of metal, preferably is substantially elliptical in cross section as shown in Figs. 2 and 5 and the inner side of the brace is formed with a longitudinal slot I0 extending from the upper portion of the brace to a filler II contained within the lower portion of the brace. This filler can be of metal molded or otherwise positioned Within the brace and the upper end of the ller is located substantially at the same level as the top of the bar 4.

Bar 4 is provided adjacent to its center with side slots I2 connected by a transverse slot I3 in the top of the bar.

Parallel pintles I4 are located within bar 4 and bridge the slots I2 and I3 where they merge one into the other. These pintles are Welded, soldered, or otherwise joined to the bar and are pivotally engaged by eyes I5 located at the inner ends of connecting links I6. The outer ends of these links are extended through the respective slots I0 and each of these outer ends has a pair of oppositely extended lugs designed to slide with in the brace 9. Another lug I8 can be extended upwardly from the lug Il and is proportioned to swing inwardly toward the center of the device and within the adjacent slot III when the structure is folded.

Obviously by pulling the braces 9 apart the links I6 will swing downwardly and outwardly away from each other while their outer ends will gravitate within the braces 9 until stopped by contact with the fillers I I or possibly by frictional engagement of lugs IB with those portions of braces 9 toward which they will swing during this operation. When the links reach their lowermost positions they will be located slightly below dead' centers so that the braces 9 cannot be pushed toward each other and the structure collapsed unless the links are rst swung upwardly toward each other away from said positions below dead centers.

With the braces extended and held as explained their lower ends will occupy the same plane with the lower ends of the legs 3 so that the structure will rest firmly on a at supporting surface and thus can be used for holding steady table tops or the like placed thereon.

While the top of the device has been shown composed entirely of the head I it is to be understood that two of these heads could be arranged transversely of the end portions of a table top, a portion of which has been indicated at T," and connected thereto by suitably located hinges so that it thus would be possible to provide two sets of these supports and a, table top as a complete unit. Furthermore, should a pair of these supports be used as a part of a complete table unit the braces 5 located at those sides of the supports nearest the ends of the table could be removed as will be obvious, thereby avoiding interference with persons seated at the ends of the table.

What is claimed is:

1. A support of the class described including a channeled ftop; member; a leg seated in'each end of the member. and xed relatively thereto, axed connection between the legs, opposed longitudinally slotted braces, hooked tongues at the upper ends thereof hingedly engaging, the respective Y sides of the top member, oppositely extendedlinks hingedly connected to the connecting` member,-

said links being mounted to slide at their outer ends within their respective slotted braces, meansA on the links and cooperating with the bracesrfor preventing withdrawal of the links from the braces, and means in the braces for supporting the links when in one extreme position with their ends below dead center.

2. A support of the class described including a top member, legs joined to the member and fixed relative thereto, a xed connection between the legs, opposed braces hingedly engaging the respective sides of the top member, oppositely extended links hingedlyconnected to the connecting. member, saidlinks being mounted to slide at their outer ends along their respective braces, means on the links and cooperating with the braces forpreventing separation of the links from the braces, and means carried by the braces for supporting,4 the links when in one extreme position with their ends below dead center.

HERBERT CROSDALE EVANS. 

